We're Singing What?
by Troublesome Dragon
Summary: Moving along there lives just fine. Oh why oh why were they forced to rhyme. Looks like Judai lost track of time, and the others are about to give him a piece of their mind.
1. Opening Night

Opening Night

Long, sweeping branches of trees with centuries to their names cast shadows on the ground below Judai's feet. There were always shadows here. Something that at times made Judai feel completely at peace. Other times, it unnerved him how time slipped by so easily, deep in the rainforest. Judai had not seen the sky for months. To be sure, he did see glimpses of it if he were to look up, and the light shone teasingly from the cracks of the canopy. The warmth made him very lazy and it took many jibes from Yubel before he would even turn his head in his humble treetop hideaway. Judai had indeed traveled and saved countless people, but when circumstances led him here, he had settled in, still helpful as always. Judai found that he loved climbing the gargantuan trees until reaching their tops or sometimes until he hit a small crevice. It was simple if exhausting in the beginning. He had complete control over how far and how fast he climbed. Judai rarely had so much control over what he did anymore though temporarily he hid in the forest. He knew that eventually he'd branch back out to help the entire world, but today Judai just wanted to climb a tree. When Yubel had asked him why he insisted on doing so daily, Judai had simply smiled and kept on climbing. She knew he was sure. She had the liberty to delve anywhere into his mind if she so wished.

Yubel, who had originally advocated taking on such an ambitious project as saving souls around the world in the first place, had not protested once since they had arrived here. Judai had asked why after a while, and she promptly responded that it was quiet. Life was thriving and sounds from the wild life could be heard everywhere. Still, Judai understood perfectly how appealing this was compared to the sounds of traffic, busy markets and the vast other collections of sounds that they encountered in their brief trip around the world. Yubel intently watched him climb slowly to his destination. Pharaoh next to her and munched on especially prepared jerky, softened for his aging gums. The villagers who lived two days trek from here gratefully offered him any supplies he needed. Judai did prove a useful free labor and willingly volunteered with anything that troubled them. Judai finally reached his wanted destination laying in the grove of the tree sighing with utmost tranquility. Pharaoh was put down across from Judai where he looked up at him and returned to his previous activity. Yubel sat on his other side hunched, giving him a side ways glance with a small tight smile. She tapped her fingers above his head and murmured.

"Was it worth your time?" Already becoming drowsy, he nodded absently petting Pharaoh. He was forgetting something. He was slowly putting himself in a trance like state. Then, Yubel's clawed hand clenched ripping off pieces of wood that scattered on Judai's red tattered jacket. She hissed and Judai stared at the forked tongue. He marveled at how he could have possibly missed that. Her back was arched and her wings jerked in a way that alarmed Judai.

"What's wrong?" He received no reply as a violent unnatural wind surrounded him. He felt a chill and his body went lax. He sank back down into the groove the tree and began to try to jerk away himself as he was drifting past the tree. His body did not want to move, and he could not sense Yubel causing a panic similar to when a child finds himself alone for the first time. He was propelling further, and he called out to her desperately in his mind for his lips where the equivalent of a dead fish at the moment. He slipped out of this vile purgatory into the cold hard floor face first. The sting made him grimace for a moment followed by relief as he felt the familiar encompassing presence of Yubel.

There was no comprehension of his surroundings as he was still adjusting to what Judai considered intensely bright lights. To top it all, his head was vibrating and he really could not afford to have his head warped more than it already was. He reached to examine it feeling a rather plump and soft Pharaoh making himself at home. Well, at least, they weren't separated. Making company with the surrounding foliage in the rain forest, his surroundings seemed so alien. He was in front of a grandiose hall furnished with several sparkling chandeliers that he was desperately avoiding contact with. The floors were disorienting, patterned in a chaotic theme of red and gold. A carpeted red velvet staircase led to several elaborate doors each identical to the other. To his sides however, there was nothing put fanciful wallpaper with black and gold trimmings which at least was less hurtful to look at than the floors. The lavish area concerned him as he was sure none of those doors were exits. Still at closer inspection, his strained eyesight and unfamiliar surroundings were the least of his worries as he looked above him. Amber eyes were deciphering him like a puzzle, not taking his eyes off him.

"Yuki Judai." She spoke softly with recognition and uncertainty. She shifted away uncomfortably as if catching sight of something disturbing. Judai thought to himself _she acts as if I've been dead for months. _It dawned on him how his aloofness must have appeared. He scrambled up about to apologize for not calling or making contact for . . . _Six months. _Yubel finished unwilling or unable to manifest. He frowned realizing their communication was limited. They would be unable to access each others thoughts unless they intentionally sought communication. Should danger arise this would prove a disadvantage.

He shifted his attention back to the dignified formally dressed blonde in front of him. There was an air of authority to her that differed from whom he had previously known to be calm and unassuming unless angered. He was very uncomfortable with the fact that he had the urge to go to the corner and think about what he did. His mouth was dry, and he knew that he should say something but anything he thought of burned away in an instant. The uncomfortable silence lasted longer than Judai would have liked but what interrupted it wasn't much better.

"Where have you been?" Multiple indignant voices reprimanded him, and he looked past her to realize that they were all there, all his friends that he hadn't seen in . . . _Six months_. _I remembered, _he snapped at her more out of nervousness than anger. Trapped, surrounded, and not one of the stares he saw were particularly friendly ranging from angry to disappointed. He had a lot of explaining to do. He might as well break the ice.

"Asuka Tenjoin." Yubel scoffed, _The mind of a poet._


	2. We start with a duet

We Start with a Duet

Judai stood, and they were all looking at him. Somehow, he was always the one they turned to in these situations. He blamed his track record. Things hadn't gone all that well when they tried to share the burden. Actually, it was more of a committee. The way they stood created an arrow, and Asuka stood at its center.

"Do you know what's going on?" Asuka asked. Another assumption, he was just as confused as the rest of them. Yubel didn't give him clairvoyance in all things, albeit his knowledge base had improved since their merger.

"No," he said. They muttered some more. Frankly, the emergencies he dealt with now were rather common place. This was the strangest thing that had happened in a while.

"Did anyone notice anything strange happen before they got here? And I don't mean the swirling vortex that sucked you up," he said. Most of them shook their heads no, Fubuki nodded. Asuka gave him a look. He'd seen that look. It was don't show the underwear you bought me to my friends look.

"What was it?" Judai said. Asuka crossed her arms and stared her brother down. He gave her his classic tooth whitening commercial grin. Really, she was one of the only girls that wouldn't really work on.

"We sung," Fubuki said. Asuka looked down and drew small circles with her foot. The murmurs weren't about him for once.

_ But didn't they have a whole duel so they wouldn't,_ Yubel said.

Yup, Judai replied. It was certainly strange but not supernatural. It had caught the group's attention.

"You what?" Manjoume said, shifting into an odd sordid admiration reserved especially for the girl in question. Judai could fill in the blanks well enough. You sung, and I missed it.

"It was weird, but it's not important," she said. The group collected itself, interesting yes, helpful no.

"It wasn't voluntary," Fubuki added.

"How was it not voluntary?" Judai asked. He really didn't want to waste anymore time on this. They hadn't even checked the doors yet.

"It just happened, neither of us intended to burst into song," Fubuki insisted. Judai found that hard to believe. Fubuki would be just the guy to do that, but Asuka. . . He could give her brother the benefit of the doubt.

_Judai, whatever brought us here probably isn't going to wait for us to figure this out. We have to start moving. _Yubel interjected.

_This might be important too._ It was their only lead. Otherwise, they might as well go through the doors and face whatever awaited them.

_ Oh, Judai, you just want to know. _He hadn't seen them in a while. The story was tempting, and if it was some evil villain at work, he or she was taking their sweet time getting here.

_ Maybe a little, _he admitted.

_Fine, _She relented.

_ Thanks, _he said.

"Okay Fubuki, tell us exactly what happened," Judai said. Asuka shot him a look. He smiled. She smiled back politely and reluctantly turned away. He'd always been photogenic. Too bad, he hadn't been much in the mood for pictures their final year.

" I was visiting Asuka for the first time in America, and well, things weren't going well," he said. The place started to haze and drift. His vision blurred, and Judai could see doppelgangers in the murky white fog. Then, the smoke cleared, and it was as if he was sitting right next to them. He helped himself to some pizza on the table. They didn't notice him, magic, definitely magic.

_See Yubel, told you it was important, _he said.

She scoffed, _Lucky guess_. They turned their attention to scene in front of him, so far nothing seemed out of the ordinary, besides him.

"So, have you talked to Judai yet?" Fubuki asked. The dinner conversation before that had been very civil and standard. She put her fork down.

"No one has," she said.

"Well, you looked so nice in the other dress; I thought I'd get you this one," Fubuki said as he took out a plastic bag. He removed the plastic. Of course, it was a red dress. The silver trimming around the breast and across the thigh consisted of holy branches and the dark red fabric folded into a v- shape to show the white flowery fabric underneath. Fubuki had expected him to come for Christmas he realized, the time for romantic miracles.

_Judai, it's just a dress, _Yubel said when he started to color.

_In America maybe, _Judai muttered. He supposed Yubel wouldn't be familiar with Japanese customs because of her isolation.

_Hmm_,_ if you say so,_ Yubel murmured.

"I'm not wearing one again," she said. Fubuki's face fell.

"Come on,you'll look gorgeous," he said. Judai couldn't hear a word after that. It was as if someone pressed the mute button. Then, he heard the one vocal that he never thought he would.

_"Brother can you hear me?" She rose from the table and followed Fubuki as he danced along with the dress. Judai could hear the piano playing somewhere nearby. He went to find it, or he tried to. Once he was at the open door, he found himself right back in his seat. _

_ "Brother can't you see I'm fine just being me?" An alto, not particularly relevant, but Judai never got to find out these sort of things in duel academy. It was cards, food, P.E., and sleep.  
_

_ "You'll look so lovely," Fubuki wasn't looking at her as he moved around. The deep baritone voice always made Judai sleepy. He yawned. Asuka tried to get his attention by stepping in front of him. He would just side step her and hum along. Judai really should find that piano, but it appeared the audience wasn't allowed to get up. _

_ "I don't need anyone," She shook her head as she sang. He circled the date on the calendar before turning to her. _

_ "I invited Manjoume," Sure enough, he had written Jun's coming. Asuka leaned back on the chair and looked down. _

_ "Of course you did," she watched as he twirled around the room. A serious sort of frown developed before she sang the next verse. _

_ "It's just fine that you play matchmaker all the time, but I miss my brother " She maneuvered over the chair so she faced him. That Judai did find odd as well as the fact the pizza had replenished itself. _

_ "Please, just wear it," He held it in front of her. She turned away from him. _

_ "When we were under the tree," She clasped her hands over her heart and sidestepped twice._

_ "It sparkles," Fubuki shook the dress so the light would refract the silver thread. She sidestepped to the right. _

_ "The fireflies at night," She let her hands fall to her sides. He got behind her and moved in closer to the space between her shoulder and neck. _

"_Isn't red his favorite color?" She blushed but twirled away. He found it impressive that they danced around the table so easily. _

_ I doubt this was what actually happened Judai, Yubel answered. _

_ Shh, I'm trying to watch, he said. _

_ Typical, Yubel grumbled. _

"_The times you kissed me goodnight," She went to the window and stared up at the moon. _

_ "It accentuates your curves," He waved his hand over the hip area. She got redder and twisted her hair. _

_ "Brother please come back," She looked at him. Fubuki looked up and stroked his chin. _

_ "Or maybe you'd like Jim to come instead?" he said and retrieved his phone book. He started to dial the number on his phone before Asuka had the sense to take it. _

_ " I don't need anyone," she said and backed away. Fubuki ran forward. She zig zagged to avoid him. He veered sharply to the right to catch up with her. Finally, Fubuki's hand encircled her hand. He undid her grip on the phone. He let it drop to the ground. _

_ "You need someone," There was a melancholy element to it that Judai had heard only when Judai had needed him to unleash darkness again. They were both gazing at each other. _

_ "Please listen," she repeated. Frankly, it made him want to leave when he heard that verse. Fubuki wasn't the only one who half-listened. _

_ "I worry," He stroked her cheek. She hugged him. _

_ "I miss you," Judai could only see Asuka's back, but he could see Fubuki return the hug and look at him. Wait._

_ I told you it wasn't how it happened, Yubel repeated. _

_ "You're all alone out here," he spun her around. _

_ "There is nothing here to fear," she returned, and they started to waltz. _

_ "And if you were to disappear" He had spun her around again and held his face in his free hand. What worried Judai was he hadn't stopped looking at him. He felt a tingling sensation as he breathed. The urge to speak out filled him. His own power spiked. Swirls of darkness escaped him and headed toward the man. They stopped short, but it deterred his gaze. Judai became positive that the gaze had come from another source.  
_

_ "I would just reappear," She leaned forward. He had a somber withdrawn face. The music started to deepen, and Judai half expected a mustache man and a railroad to appear. _

_ "It would kill me," She let go. He stood there. She walked away from him. _

_ " Brother can you hear me?" Fubuki followed her this time. She continued to avoid him, and they began to circle each other. _

_ "I hear you," He held his hand out. She shook her head and kept going. _

_ "Brother can't you see I'm fine just being me?" She spread her arms as far as she could. Without much rhyme or reason, Fubuki walked in from the dark room, where Judai was forbidden, to wrap his arms around his sister. _

_ "But you must be lonely," Asuka unwrapped his arms and walked to the dinner table. _

_ "Let's not do this," She sat down. Fubuki walked over and placed himself behind her chair. The piano tune had become bouncy. _

_ "I see the way you look him" He darted to the left of the chair. She looked to the right instead. _

_ "Let's eat dinner," She took a bite of pizza. He yanked it away. The familiar glare often given to Judai when she found him skipping class appeared. She crossed her arms and turned to the left now. _

_ "Don't try to pretend,"He darted to the left. She looked down and took another slice from the box. _

_ "It's getting cold," She drank some water. Fubuki pulled out a framed photo of Judai giving his classic Gotcha' pose and held it in front of her. _

_ " You're not interested," She held her hands up in the air. _

_ "I'll wear the dress, just shut it," She rested her head in the palms of her hands and waited for Fubuki to stop. _

_ " That brilliant smile" Fubuki pointed to Judai. He forced one and wondered at the spotlight on him._

_ Aww, Judai you're part of the show, Yubel cooed. Judai shut his eyes._

_ At least, I don't think were dealing with a malevolent spirit, he said. _

_ " Stop," The light around him went dark. _

_ Oh good, its over, he said and sighed. Fubuki got a hold of a cane somehow, and used it to indicate to Judai. _

_ "Makes you wild," The lights went on again. Judai shielded his eyes. The brightness of the lights still pained his eyes, and here, they kept flashing the brightest one of all on him. _

_ "Brother please eat dinner," There wasn't anything wild about Asuka's appearance. She ate another bite. Fubuki deflated, and the melody regained its sentimental charm. He tossed the cane into oblivion. It went up, but it didn't come back down. He pulled the chair out and sat down. The light faded again, but Judai didn't remove his arm from his eyes just in case. _

_ "Alright, but you can't deny like the doughy center of this pie you like him," he held the pie up. She finished the pizza and took the pie. _

_ " Please eat dinner," She did start eating the pie. Fubuki commandeered a slice of his own. He reached for her hand and slowly captured it with his fingers. _

_ "Just remember," She looked up from her meal. Judai had never seen her quite so unguarded. Her posture was relaxed and her expression soft, almost feminine. Almost every time he'd seen her, he hadn't really thought of that. She was Asuka who dueled about as many people as he did per day. It had never occurred to him that they were all smitten males.  
_

_ "I mean well," She smiled. _

_ "I know," They ate silently. Judai wanted another slice of pizza. (It's not like anyone would miss it.) A sudden flash of light filled the room before he could. _

He dropped to the ground. They were back in the main room. Rei latched onto him.

"You're okay. You're okay. You're okay," she repeated zealously.

"Yeah, I'm fine Rei," he said, panting uncomfortably. She'd gotten heavier and . . . other things had gotten bigger. He wasn't exactly comfortable with the sudden proximity. The two siblings seemed unphased by what just happened. Asuka was staring up at the chandeliers.

"And that's pretty much it," she said with a shrug. Judai gingerly escaped from Rei's grip and stood. The rest of the group stared at them blankly.

"You do realize that you just vanished for about two minutes?" Ryo asked finally. Asuka blinked a few times in response. Fubuki scratched his head.

"But we just explained the entire thing," Fubuki said. The rest of the party shook their heads. Fubuki let loose his cheesy grin and took hold of Asuka's hand.

"Oh, well I guess will just have to reenact it," he said, taking a deep breath. She resisted and pulled her hand free.

"No," Judai iterated quickly. Judai wasn't in the mood to be a prop again, that, and he didn't want everyone else to see either. Asuka shifted gears instantly, at his reluctance. Apparently, it was perfectly fine for her to do so, but she immediately found it suspicious coming from him. Judai rarely showed resistance.

"I thought you wanted to know the details?"Asuka said. The stance she took reminded him too much of Chronos looming over him for his liking. He instinctively put his hand in his pockets and looked at the floor.

" Actually, I figured it out," he mumbled. Manjoume got between them.

"Well, tell the rest of us that didn't poof out of existence," Manjoume badgered. They weren't going to like it. They were all probably sick of being pulled around by unnatural forces by now.

"I'll be honest. We think it's you," Johan spoke up. He turned slowly to Johan with the best betrayed face he could manage. Mostly, he copied it off the sad clown he saw in the circus.

"But I haven't been doing anything," he whined. There were the angry stares again. Asuka muttered, of course. He waved his hands in front of him in protest.

"I mean, not anything mystical at least. Tell them Yubel," he said. She couldn't manifest, oops.

_Sorry, Judai. It's not happening, _she apologized.

"Well, if she could come out, she would back me up," he claimed. They looked more riled up then before. Asuka considered him a moment, and he could see the split second she decided he knew what he was doing. Probably, the first time anyone ever deemed him competent in anything besides dueling.

"Fine, let's here your theory," Asuka said, rubbing her forehead.

"We're dealing with a demon," he told them. They all groaned. He couldn't hear the exact words, but his name was coming up a lot. Manjoume pointed at his chest. Judai backed up a little and stared at it.

"I knew it. It's Judai's fault," Manjoume said. Judai glared sharply.

"No, it's not,"he said. Ryo stepped forward. Oh, not him too, they had shared rice balls. They of all people understood each other.

"The evidence is stacked against you, Judai. You deal with dark magic all the time," Ryo reported. Oh, by no means was he the only one here who tampered with magic before. He just didn't remember it too well.

"Fubuki did," he said. He became very aware of Asuka's height as she leaned over. Her eyes had narrowed, and he shirked back. It's the closest they've ever been.

"You're blaming my brother," she reprimanded. He could just imagine the ruler slap down on his hand.

"No, Mrs. Tenj- Asuka," he corrected himself. She smirked. Johan saved him.

"I say we open the doors already,"he cut in. Asuka backed off. She was all for moving on, in more ways than one.

"You're right Johan. We've put this off long enough. The only way to stop it is to confront it. The less songs on the way the better," he said. They gave him strange looks. He didn't feel like elaborating. If they started spouting off, they could deal with it. Nothing about it seemed inherently dangerous. They walked toward the three doors.

_I said that,_ Yubel said.

It's the way he said it, he said. Johan always made sense to him, and it wasn't like Judai wasn't already thinking it.

_I hope you get vaporized by a spotlight, _she said. Yubel could be really petty sometimes. Oh, he dearly hoped she wouldn't sing.


	3. Introspection: A Song's strongest Ally

Introspection: A Song's Strongest Ally

Two things bothered Judai about the current arrangement. One, after witnessing a rather uncomfortable singing debut, he was a bit dismayed when Asuka followed him through the door. He wasn't a bad signer, but there were obviously a few things that she had avoided discussing with him. Singing while undeniably great ways to both annoy and release emotion wasn't something he particularly wanted to do at the moment. Judai liked to let things pass and settle on their own. While he would most certainly get them all out of here, he did not want to embarrass himself. No way.

He didn't even know what he would sing about anyway.

It could be what saved him from it for now. Right. Ryo.

He came with as well which would be fine and all but . . .

If anyone had emotional turmoil they hadn't dealt with, it was Ryo.

For now, things remained blissfully silent. Asuka and Ryo walked side by side while Judai covered the rear. Inside was dark, seeming endless black, not the kind with substance and life dripping inside, it was empty, and he could not seem to guide them through it as he'd found natural since he discovered who he truly was. They were growing tired of it.

"Judai, do you know how to get out of here?" Asuka finally spoke up. Ryo said nothing but by the lingering glare, he must have agreed. He stopped and sighed, letting himself simply try and feel something, anything that would tell him where they were, how to escape. He only heard the soft laughter of a demon, somewhere nearby yet impossibly far away. _No, you are not the master here. Do be a good audience. _He snapped his eyes open and rather than panic, he smiled, an almost condescending smile to the increasingly forceful blond.

"We're lost. Is that what you wanted to know?" She scowled and he expected as much. Ryo accepted the predicament and inspected the space, but the pitch black meant little to him. Asuka similarly slowed, a small oh, of surprise escaped.

"I figured since you started this," she suggested again, and he cracked his knuckle mostly out of habit.

"No, let's just keep going. At some point, he'll let us out," Judai realized that he'd slipped some critical information on the situation their way. Asuka raised a brow, but thankfully, did not care enough to make Judai elaborate. Ryo already started walking. This did not bother Judai much, until slivers of lightning made themselves known along his feet. Still, nothing appeared to change so he followed along with Asuka. Again, she made a point to stick close to Ryo.

"How have you been?" she asked casually. Ryo turned to her, and Judai let himself fall behind some more.

"Fine, things are chaotic, but our league is developing slowly but surely," Ryo answered to which Asuka nodded vaguely. Ryo's gaze triggered a memory that Judai hadn't thought of in a while. The day he lost, and Ryo offered him a few words, a sort of guarded concern.

"And you?" The direction of the small talk caused the blond to consider a moment.

"Fine. The kids are wonderful," Asuka let a tiny smile escape, and Judai stared at that curiously. So, she wasn't a depressing warden all the time.

_Judai_,_ you have to get us out of here._ Judai was glad for the distraction.

_And? I'm not a ridiculously super powered human being right now. I have to travel the endless void like everyone else. _Judai replied aimlessly. He'd tried, and Judai would relax in the meantime. She responded with an annoyed little hiss, and he chuckled easily.

_Someone has to sing. _Yubel told him dubiously as if it were as simple as brushing his teeth and changing his clothes. He couldn't find himself willing to believe her. Silliness fit him to a tee, but what if it didn't work. What if singing did something that he didn't realize? Gave the being power somehow? Yubel's green and orange eyes waited, knowing Judai would eventually give in. He had every other time it was important.

How do you know? At this, Yubel flapped her wings reflexively and put a finger to her mouth.

_I just know. This place isn't like you, but I can sense the void's need for feelings and souls. It needs only the smallest tune. _Judai nodded, and he opened his mouth but no sound came out. It was a little disconcerting, to be unable to. Judai was naturally an excitable talkative person. Why? Why had this place turned him mute? He tapped Asuka on the shoulder who turned around. He pointed to his throat.

"And they're taking the hands on labs well . . ." she let her voice die, and she puzzled over his continued pointing at his throat. He opened his mouth wide and pointed.

"He's hungry?" Ryo suggested. Judai shook his head.

"We don't have time for this, just speak Judai" Asuka replied firmly and Judai shook his head again. He pointed at his throat and shrugged again.

"You can't," Ryo concluded. Judai nodded.

"What a bother, you're the only one who might be able to get us out of this, and you're mute," Asuka muttered, and Judai patted her back and gave her a thumbs up in reassurance. He didn't seem to earn the smile he'd been looking for. She humped.

"I'll get us out," Ryo offered, and Asuka did not seem overly hopeful.

"We've been stuck here a while. I don't think you'll be able to do much else about it," she said, and Judai noted Ryo's irritation.

"You've been doing that lately," Ryo said which had Asuka pause and suck up a shallow breath.

"What?" she said, in a we aren't going argue now are we? sort of way. Then, a maze so intricate, and overly copied appeared, never ending, defying gravity at every turn. He held onto Asuka's hand. It would do them no good to be lost now.

"I remember how things used to be, and yet lately all you do is talk down to me" Ryo leaned again the yellow bricks and waited for Asuka to respond. Again, Judai could not quite figure out how to possibly find the source. The maze mocked him in its complexity. Practically screaming, is this how you feel right now?

"Ryo don't listen to the karoke monster. It's what it wants," Asuka hadn't quite fallen for the music guise this time. An ocean appeared between the labyrinth and as the water poured in, it sent Judai on high alert. He urged Asuka along, and do to previous experiences of near drowning, Asuka was all too willing to follow.

"You were so sad. When you smiled, how could I be anything but glad? A light that mimicked the golden hues of sunset appeared behind him. Things, seemed much more elaborate and free to roam here. This wasn't a surprise to Judai for a place constructed of pure magic. He'd seen centuries old magic prison's that sustained themselves and grew to monstrous proportions. He's been to two, one such time inadvertently. This place, however, seemed like more of a toy box. The demon seemed to have a, what else can I pull out of here? , attitude.

"Ryo, forget it, lets just keep walking, "she said, and much to Judai's amusement, she had trouble keeping her composure as the water rose. He wasn't overly worried since the stairs never seemed to end.

"But lately, I don't see why things can't be the way they used to be," The water stopped rising as he stepped onto the platform.

"Maybe, just maybe, it's how you wanted it to be," Her lips formed a thin line and she glared, narrowing those round amber circles into contempt or scorn. All Judai knew for sure is that she began to squeeze the life out of his hand. The atmosphere seemed colder.

What was that about music making things better? Yubel eyed the new architecture with minute interest.

The song isn't over Judai. Yubel reminded him patiently as Asuka while shorter went rigid and attempted to tower over the other.

I don't like being here. Every time they sing about something personal. It's wrong. Judai added in annoyance.

"I tried so hard to get you to see sense. Every time you would just tense," Her arms stretched out and floundered along. The steady rhythmic beats of drums, and the strong pull of a guitar finally reached Judai's attention. He could feel his heart pull to the beat of the drums. He hated when music was this loud, and he had no idea how he could missed its presence before then.

"Saying I don't need your disrespect. I am what I should have been, some dark punk Goth nonsense," She proceeded to cross her arms and turned her back on him. The waves sloshed near the edge of the platform. Thunder reigned down, and Judai attempted to will a door to appear, nothing, sure only give the emotionally short sighted people the ability to alter the place.

"The electricity took hold deep within my bones. The strength so cheap and easy to achieve. I left you behind, but I never meant to be so blind," He had his hand capture his face as thunder rumbled behind him. Asuka didn't see it as she kept herself more interested in the wall than his face.

"We stopped being friends some time ago. So let's forget the pleasantries," She started to walk again, taking the stairs closest to her. Considering the unpredictable spirals of stairs, Judai did not consider this a good idea. They didn't move very far and the water started to rise again, but neither seemed to care this time.

"Can we just move on please?" he let slip out lyrically, and he blushed as Yubel laughed.

_Wonderful time to but in_, Yubel said but neither party listened.

"You were like the sea that would never leave. I never imagined you'd let go of me," Ryo said, and the imagery began to make more sense to Judai. Then again, he would have preferred a meadow or forest if they were going to do this. Nothing of too much danger occurred in the forest if you were smart about it.

"I needed someone. All I had was you. Your ever present silence helped to see it through," Asuka said, almost sweetly low, like a little girl. She walked further upwards at Judai's insistence.

"But since then I've learned not to depend on you."she told him, flat and cold as another set of stairs shifted towards them. Something of it struck him as familiar, but if it mattered he couldn't comprehend.

"Please can we all just forget," he said, the music's beat and obnoxiously loud beats grating on him.

"Leave me alone to survive. Leave all alone to prove them wrong. Forget you ever cared, "Asuka's voice traveled far and echoed. Should the others be nearby, he heard no response back.

"This makes no sense," Judai pleaded, for things had been silent if somewhat hopeless before. The silent tension had at least not been life threatening.

"Everyone one snaps sometimes," Ryo stated and Asuka wavered at the second to last step.

"It never seems to be me," she said, indulging a little hop forwards. Much to Judai's relief, white light reflected toward assumed exits. The only problem, the other two did not want to budge.

"I'm tired of waiting for someone to be there for me," Although Judai's could recall why Asuka would be distressed by being alone, he didn't understand why those feelings should surface now.

"Can we please just go back to the beginning," Before the half-baked evil doers, and before he even thought about darkness, when his biggest concern was whether or not Manjoume would steal his fried shrimp, he missed that.

"Dear fake brother of mine, you've been so blind," she smiled a condescending smile and the other smiled a subdued apology.

"You are no longer what you were, and yet we can't just reverse the clock," Judai was glad no incessant chiming followed the veiled threat of a clock.

"When you all used to smile, instead of yell and cry," he whispered, and he could think of all the troubles he'd glimpsed their final year together.

"Please, see past the anger," he finished, but he remained unheard.

_Well, you are the back up singer_, Yubel quipped, and he sighed, and he realized again there were three possible exits. He's trying to separate us.

Shut up Yubel. She hummed in a noncommittal fashion before cutting communication.

"I've never been so eager to make amends, but for so long you were my only friend," Ryo extended a hand, and she sheltered her own hand protectively.

"Forgive you?" she asked, and the music grew softer.

"Forgive me,"he said, taking her hand.

"Hardly," she wretched her hand away. Judai squeezed the hand he was in possession of.

"Please just say you're sorry," he told them, and Asuka looked down, letting her bangs obscure her face.

"Make amends, lets pretend nothing is wrong. Like some old forgotten song," she spit out. The music barely registered now.

"No. No. No. I know I've been an ass, but please, remember when it all began," they looked at each other a moment, and she hesitantly took his hand.

"When we were the best of friends," they finished, and Judai without question led them through the door in the middle. He was sure he saw a rainbow there.


End file.
